Arlington Heights looks at bike ordinance

The ribbon-style bike racks, as seen at Mariano's Fresh Market in Arlington Heights, are recommended by the village's Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Commission. (Village of Arlington Heights, Handout)

Arlington Heights is considering a bike parking requirement and an ordinance to show its commitment to being a bicycle-friendly community.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission has been working on an ordinance that would require at least one bicycle parking space at every building area.

The policy would be implemented by the planning commission for new developments or when existing buildings are expanded to include more car parking. Currently, the planning commission determines how many car parking spots are required within a development proposal.

If a bike parking ordinance is approved, the planning commission would require bicycle parking spaces equivalent to 15 percent of the car parking for downtown; 10 percent for multi-family residences; and 5 percent for businesses and commercial areas and other public community spaces, such as parks. Schools would provide enough spaces for 10 percent of its student body, according to a draft of the proposed ordinance.

"This is more of just a movement to make sure there's bike parking everywhere people would want to park," said Village Engineer Briget Schwab.

For multi-space commercial or industrial spaces, the policy would allow the bike parking spaces to be in one location, although it must be within 200 feet from the entrances. Exceptions can be made by village officials if there isn't enough space to meet the requirement.

The commission is also working on a "Complete Streets" ordinance that would make official the village's commitment to being a bicycle-friendly community.

Complete Streets is a national movement already adopted by Cook County. It formalizes Arlington Heights' "intent to plan, design and maintain streets so they are safe for all users in mind, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists and freight vehicles," according to a village memo.

Schwab said the current administration already believes in the "Complete Streets" ideology and most public places already have bike racks and spaces for parking. Formally adopting both is an effort to cement Arlington Heights' commitment, she said. The village is also in the middle of analyzing data for the total number of bicycle parking spaces in Arlington Heights.

"Making it easy to navigate the streets of Arlington Heights, on bike and walking — it's better for your health. It's good for the environment," Schwab said.

Next year, the village plans to apply for an official Bicycle Friendly Community designation with the League of American Bicyclists and having both policies in place will help it win the award, Schwab said.

Mitch Polonsky, a member of the Arlington Heights Bicycle Club since 2001 and a member of the village's bicycle commission, said Arlington Heights is already friendly to cyclists and the latest efforts will only improve conditions.

"Arlington Heights, compared to most of the suburbs around here, is ahead of the curve," Polonsky said.